Roofing Terms

Asphalt Shingles - Shingles made with heavy felt impregnated with asphalt, and coated with mineral granules, in a wide range of colors. Available in various thicknesses and life spans, from 15 years to 40 years.

Architectural Shingles - Architectural shingles have a three-dimensional look, and typically have a longer warranty because of the extra build-up of asphalt and mineral granules on them. More upscale than just basic asphalt shingles.

Built Up Roof - A low pitch or flat roof which is covered with layers of roofing felt, tar, pitch, or asphalt, and then covered with hot tar and gravel.

Cross Gable - A gable roof that intersects another gable roof at right angles.

Decking - Plywood or panels applied to the rafters as a support and base for the shingles or other coverings.

Felt - Asphalt impregnated paper installed on top of decking, and as an underlayment for the shingles or other coverings.

Gable - A triangular end wall, or a pitched roof that creates a triangular end wall.

Gambrel - A roof that has two slopes on each side, like a barn.

Gothic - A ridged roof with sides that curve.

Hip - The outside corner formed by the perpendicular meeting of the outside edges of two roof slopes. Also a roof that ends in hips rather than gabels.

Membrane - A vulcanized sheet of rubber applied with adhesive directly to decking, used on low pitch or flat roofs.

Pitched Roof- A roof that has a slope.

Rafter - One of the parallel beams that supports the decking on a sloped roof.

Ridge - The peak of the roof.

Shake - A wooden shingle, often cedar, that can be installed as a roof covering.

Slate - A fine grained rock that splits into thin smooth layers. Used as roof covering, very heavy, but very long life.

Tile - Curved ceramic tiles that wire together in such a way as to form a waterproof durable roof covering. Very heavy, but very long life.

Truss - A framework of rafters and connecting beams installed in one piece on top of support walls.

Valley - The inside corner where two roof slopes meet, the opposite of a hip.